“Well, I have always said,” replied D’Artagnan, with a sigh, “that disinterestedness was the finest thing in the world.”

“Well, and you, my friend,” resumed Athos, “are you not in the same situation as myself?  If I have properly understood your words, you allowed yourself to be affected by the misfortunes of this young man; that, on your part, was much greater than it was upon mine, for I had a duty to fulfill; whilst you were under no obligation to the son of the martyr.  You had not, on your part, to pay him the price of that precious drop of blood which he let fall upon my brow, through the floor of the scaffold.  That which made you act was heart alone — the noble and good heart which you possess beneath your apparent skepticism and sarcastic irony; you have engaged the fortune of a servitor, and your own, I suspect, my benevolent miser! and your sacrifice is not acknowledged!  Of what consequence is it?  You wish to repay Planchet his money.  I can comprehend that, my friend:  for it is not becoming in a gentleman to borrow from his inferior, without returning to him principal and interest.  Well, I will sell La Fere if necessary, and if not, some little farm.  You shall pay Planchet, and there will be enough, believe me, of corn left in my granaries for us two and Raoul.  In this way, my friend, you will be under obligations to nobody but yourself; and, if I know you well, it will not be a small satisfaction to your mind to be able to say, ‘I have made a king!’ Am I right?”

“Athos!  Athos!” murmured D’Artagnan, thoughtfully, “I have told you more than once that the day on which you will preach I shall attend the sermon; the day on which you will tell me there is a hell — Mordioux! I shall be afraid of the gridiron and the pitch-forks.  You are better than I, or rather, better than anybody, and I only acknowledge the possession of one quality, and that is, of not being jealous.  Except that defect, damme, as the English say, if I have not all the rest.”

“I know no one equal to D’Artagnan,” replied Athos; “but here we are, having quietly reached the house I inhabit.  Will you come in, my friend?”

“Eh! why this is the tavern of the Corne du Cerf, I think,” said D’Artagnan.

“I confess I chose it on purpose.  I like old acquaintances; I like to sit down on that place, whereon I sank, overcome by fatigue, overwhelmed by despair, when you returned on the 31st of January.”

“After having discovered the abode of the masked executioner?  Yes, that was a terrible day!”

“Come in, then,” said Athos, interrupting him.

They entered the large apartment, formerly the common one.  The tavern, in general, and this room in particular, had undergone great changes; the ancient host of the musketeers, having become tolerably rich for an innkeeper, had closed his shop, and make of this room of which we were speaking, a store-room for colonial provisions.  As for the rest of the house, he let it ready furnished to strangers.  It was with unspeakable emotion D’Artagnan recognized all the furniture of the chamber of the first story; the wainscoting, the tapestries, and even that geographical chart which Porthos had so fondly studied in his moments of leisure.